4 Summer Financial Habits That Could Add Up to a Stronger Retirement

Since summer is a season of growth, it's the perfect time to start adopting some habits that will grow your wealth. While you may not want to spend warm summer nights sitting down and doing retirement planning, you can still adopt some habits over the summer season that will set you on the path toward a stronger retirement.

Here are a few ways you can use this time to set yourself up for a more secure future.

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1. Schedule a no-spend month

Scheduling a no-spend month is one great money move to make this summer. That's a month where you spend on absolutely nothing except the necessities.

This season is the perfect time to try this out because there are always a ton of free and low-cost outdoor activities to do without spending a lot of money. You can see if your area has free concerts in the park, or simply take some hikes or walks around a local forest or lake for entertainment. You can also shift from expensive dining out to inexpensive picnics, BBQs, and potlucks in the backyard to enjoy the warm weather.

When you do a no-spend month, you can redirect the money you would have used for purchases into your retirement plans. Taking a break from spending can also sometimes give you more clarity on where you are wasting money and can help you find other, more resourceful ways to solve problems rather than just making a purchase. This could carry forward to buying less over time.

2. Give your subscriptions a break

If you are like many people, you're probably spending far more money than you realize on subscriptions and monthly memberships. Summer is a good time to put all those things on pause.

Cancel as many of your subscriptions and recurring charges as you can, from streaming to gym memberships, and send that money to an IRA or 401(k) instead. Then spend your time outside by a campfire or taking walks with loved ones instead of inside on a treadmill or in front of the TV. You'll make better memories, and your money will do a lot more for you.

3. Pick up a side hustle

With longer days and warmer weather, you may have a lot more opportunity for a side hustle. Summer is a great time to offer to house-sit for people who are traveling, walk dogs for people who are working, or babysit for parents when school is out.

You can use this money from your side hustle to shore up your retirement savings so you don't have to over-rely on Social Security as a retiree. After all, benefits replace only around 40% of pre-retirement income, and you'll need more than that to have a comfortable retirement.

4. Automate your investments

Finally, one of the most important habits you can adopt this summer is to automate your investments if you haven't already. If you set up contributions to go into a 401(k) or IRA automatically, then the money is much more likely to get invested than if you have to choose to invest each month.

You can also set up those contributions to come out before you get paid in the case of a 401(k) or on payday with an IRA. That way, you don't get a chance to spend the money.

The more you can afford to divert to investments automatically, the faster you will grow your nest egg, so see how much you can afford to put away for the future. This is something you can and should do during every season, but this summer is an especially great time to start since it's the season of growth and new beginnings.